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older computer loses video

S

silicon

Senior member
I have this older computer, MB is about 8 years old and yesterday the video quit working. It was running with video and then no video. I removed and re-seated the video card and this worked for awhile, maybe 1-2 hours, and then no video. I am wondering if there is any point in trouble shooting this old computer? :hmm:
 
In 2007 we got the Core2Duo, which is still a decent processor for normal tasks, IMO. The question is: "Is it the slot or the card?"

Do you have another video card you can swap it with?
 
ketchup79 said:
In 2007 we got the Core2Duo, which is still a decent processor for normal tasks, IMO. The question is: "Is it the slot or the card?"

Do you have another video card you can swap it with?
Click to expand...
this is even older a pentium 4. is it the card or the slot...don't really know. tonight I can swap in another card to try.
 
Don't laugh, but what works for me on old systems is to pull the card and use a pencil erasure on the contacts (both sides). Sometimes after that I spray some WD40 on a paper towel and wipe the contacts with it, and then put the card back in. Usually works unless the card has failed, or is failing.
 
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Not laughing here. Actually, a clean pencil eraser is a very good way to remove GENTLY a thin film of oxidation on metal contacts at the edge of a circuit board. When done, carefully brush off any eraser residue with a clean cloth or artist's paint brush.
 
well after trying to make it work again and it ran all night, today the computer refuses to do anything. I was able to boot and go into the bios but now not even that. Its either the MB or CPU, and no idea which. :|
 
Burpo said:
Don't laugh, but what works for me on old systems is to pull the card and use a pencil erasure on the contacts (both sides). Sometimes after that I spray some WD40 on a paper towel and wipe the contacts with it, and then put the card back in. Usually works unless the card has failed, or is failing.
Click to expand...

This.

I've even used art gum erasers on boards in CNC machines and have them recover before.
 
silicon said:
I have this older computer, MB is about 8 years old and yesterday the video quit working. It was running with video and then no video. I removed and re-seated the video card and this worked for awhile, maybe 1-2 hours, and then no video. I am wondering if there is any point in trouble shooting this old computer? :hmm:
Click to expand...

Is it definitely NOT the monitor, showing a blank screen. E.g. Due to failing capacitors.

One way to easily find out is to either press the menu button (or similar), on the monitor when it is blank. Or when it goes blank, leave the computer alone, and switch the monitor off for a while (e.g. 30 minutes) to cool down, then try switching the monitor on again (leave the computer alone, except move the mouse if the screen saver is enabled).
 
silicon said:
well after trying to make it work again and it ran all night, today the computer refuses to do anything. I was able to boot and go into the bios but now not even that. Its either the MB or CPU, and no idea which. :|
Click to expand...

Why can't it be the video card? Those have gone out in a similar manner for me in the past. And so this may be only a $20 problem:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-GPU-Vam...476?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4851c59c8c

Before you do that though, have you tried another video cable?
 
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